New Communities Feature
NET-ZERO TIPS
SOLAR
Five tips to go net-zero
Solar energy making strides in Calgary area
Builders, developers don’t expect to slow down in 2016
GREEN A6
GREEN A7
A5 FREE apr 22 to apr 28 2016 issue 06-15 editorial 403-781-1324 advertising 403-263-4940 crebnow@creb.ca
real estate news from industry experts
CLEAN LIVING SPECIAL GREEN ISSUE
ADRIAN SHELLARD/FOR CREB®NOW
A green revolution is underway as more Calgarians seek to reduce their carbon footprint with increasingly energy-efficient homes
Denim Furniture A7 Social Responsibility A8 Green Moving A8 “After year three, I realized it was more expensive than anticipated,” he said. “But it’s still worth it in my mind.”
NOT YOUR PARENTS’ COMPOSTING
$442,800
$445,000
SHELLEY BOETTCHER
$447,800
$452,800
$454,800
$459,100
$459,300
$457,800
$456,700
$458,900
$460,900
$462,400
$461,700
$462,200
$462,800
$461,900
$460,600
$459,800
$458,000
$453,200
$446,300
ALSO SEE
for creb®now
O
nce considered a niche market, composting in Calgary has gone mainstream. From grass clippings to chicken bones and leftover produce to dryer lint, urban composting has rapidly evolved over the past several years thanks to new curbside pickup capabilities, improved technology and world-class recycling centres, say local sustainability experts.
MAR14 APR14 MAY14 JUN14 JUL14 AUG14 SEP14 OCT14 NOV14 DEC14 JAN15 FEB15 MAR15 APR15 MAY15 JUN15 JUL15 AUG15 SEP15 OCT15 NOV15 DEC15 JAN16 FEB16 MAR16
$439,700
CITY OF CALGARY
MLS® BENCHMARK PRICE* MAR ‘14 – MAR ‘16
$457,400
N
o one can accuse Chris Stevenson of being all talk and no action when it comes to living green. The 51-year-old Calgarian is walking the walk when it comes to reducing his carbon footprint. So much so he built his own
net-zero home – that is, one that generates as much energy from renewables, such as solar panels, as it consumes. “I like to do things right, and I’m cheap: I didn’t want to be paying a lot for utilities,” joked Stevenson, who, until recently, made a living investing in real estate. “In Calgary, there can be a lot of emphasis on conspicuous con-
$459,300
for creb®now
$459,300
JOEL SCHLESINGER
sumption and not a lot of emphasis on energy efficiency in the housing world. So I thought, ‘I want to show people that you can do something pretty cool in terms of design and still make it net-zero.’” Located in southwest Calgary, Stevenson’s net-zero home is almost complete. Over the past five years, he said the passion project became an all-consuming one that essentially became his full-time job. “I did the math and it worked out that it would be cheaper for me to take time off work and build it myself than hire people to do it,” he said. Yet while building a net-zero home is the gold standard of energy efficiency, it comes with a high price tag – a fact that Stevenson has found out first hand.
*All statistics based on monthly data compiled by CREB® via MLS® activity. Includes detached, attached and apartment.
$429,900
Christie Park Estate
$159,900
Mission
OPEN HOUSE
SAT 11-1 PM 53 CHRISTIE GD SW
Immaculate bungalow villa in the coveted area of Christie Park Estate. 2 bedroom, 2 full bathrooms and double attached garage. MLS®C4043266
$189,900
Penbrooke Meadows
OPEN HOUSE
#15 2417 2 ST SW
Cozy 1 bedroom apartment in the heart of MISSION. This top floor end unit is well laid out and very comfortable, shows 10/10. MLS®C4048253
$420,000
Temple
OPEN HOUSE
COMPOSTING A3
$339,900
Homeowner Chris Stevenson has spent the last five years building his net-zero home in southwest Calgary. While cost may be a barrier to some homebuyers, the tide is changing with each new generation, said Don Barrineau, division president of Mattamy Homes in Calgary. “You’re seeing a lot of interest in it,” he said. “And certainly as younger generations come up, the envelope is being pushed more and more in terms of sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint.”
OVERVIEW A3
CONTENTS GREEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Net-Zero Living
EVENT LISTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 WEEKLY FEED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 GREEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 Denim Furniture
GREEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Social Responsibility
GREEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Moving
MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1 MORTGAGE RATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B19 OPEN HOUSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B19 @crebnow
CREBNow
@crebnow
www.crebnow.com
Silverado
OPEN HOUSE
SAT 2-4 PM #302 5404 10 AVE SE
SUN 10-1 PM 172 TEMPLEMONT CI NE
SUN 2-4 PM #1901 155 SILVERADO SKIES LI SW
Fully renovated 2 bedroom PLUS den w/a window in one of the best townhouse complexes in the area. Shows like a NEW HOME! MLS®C4050628
Well maintained spacious 3 bdrm bungalow on a good sized corner lot in a quiet area. Great layout w/ family rm at one end of the house and LR at other. MLS®C4052253
3 bdrm 2 and half bath, corner unit with 9’ ceilings, beautiful upgraded Colonial Birch natural hdwd flrs, a kitchen with a huge island and a SS appl package. MLS®C4056840
Sylvia Binner 403.903.2455
REALTY EXECUTIVES APEX